Tabletop Protective Covering Disposal Systems and Related Methods

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention provide devices and methods for improved retrieval, storage and disposal of soiled protective covering material from a table, bench or bed. In one embodiment, an assembly is provided that includes a roller receptacle engaged with a mounting assembly that is configured to attach to a table, bench or bed and allow retrieval, storage and disposal of soiled material within the roller receptacle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/004,342, filed May 29, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, including any figures, tables, or drawings.

BACKGROUND

In a busy medical practice, doctors, nurses and medical staff examine many patients on medical examination tables overlaid with examination paper. Such tables are lined with disposable paper to effectively protect the table surface from soiling and, importantly, to prevent infectious agents from being spread from one patient to the next as each is examined, as the paper is simply removed and replaced with a new, clean sheet of paper after each patient examination. The removed sheet is generally torn and/or wadded and placed into the trash; however, this method of disposal is not only inefficient and unhygienic but also poses a potential health hazard. For example, trash cans may quickly overflow and potentially expose patients and medical professionals to infectious agents, for example, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

BRIEF SUMMARY

Techniques and systems for the disposal of tabletop protective coverings are described.

The described techniques and systems work with and can be adapted for any type of table or bench that involves the use of paper or other disposable protective covering material to inhibit the soiling of the table or bench. Structures on which protective coverings are provided may include, but are not limited to, tables, benches, and beds. Although these structures may not all be considered “tables”, for simplicity, the surface on which disposable protective coverings are used is referred to herein as being “tabletop”.

Apparatuses for disposal of tabletop or protective covering material, such as e.g., medical examination paper, are described. The apparatus can include a roller receptacle that receives the protective covering material and stores the material for ease of disposal. The roller receptacle can contain the soiled material so that the roller receptacle is disposed of along with the protective material, which minimizes contact with the soiled material. The roller receptacle can include an elongated sleeve and a roller. The roller can be coaxially disposed and axially rotatable within the sleeve such that the protective material can be wrapped around the roller within the sleeve. The sleeve can include a longitudinal aperture for receiving the protective covering material.

In a further implementation, a mounting assembly can be included to releasably support the roller receptacle and, in some cases, facilitate the attachment of the roller receptacle to the table, bench, bed or other structure using the protective covering material.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a medical examination table utilizing an assembly of an embodiment of the present invention to retrieve and dispose of medical examination paper.

FIG. 2 shows an assembly for soiled covering material retrieval and disposal according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show side views of mounts of the mounting assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an assembly of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show perspective views of (5A) first and (5B) second mounts of a mounting assembly of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a roller utilized in the roller receptacle of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show perspective views of mounts of various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of an assembly for soiled covering material retrieval and disposal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Techniques and systems for the storage and disposal of tabletop protective coverings are described. The tabletop protective coverings can be retrieved from atop a table, bench or bed, such as, for example, soiled paper from a medical examination table.

Embodiments of the invention work with and can be adapted for any type of table, bed or bench on which a protective covering material is used to protect the underlying structure and/or an entity (person or thing) that may rest upon the structure. When used for soiled paper from a medical examination table, safe and efficient collection, storage and disposal of the used medical examination paper can be accomplished, thereby reducing the risk of spreading infections in healthcare settings such as medical examination rooms.

FIG. 1 shows a medical examination table utilizing an assembly of an embodiment of the present invention to retrieve and dispose of medical examination paper. Referring to FIG. 1, an assembly 100 for disposal of a protective covering material (e.g., soiled paper) can be attached to a medical examination table (MET). In some cases, the assembly 100 is attached at or near one end of the table and a roll of protective material (PM), e.g., paper, is provided at the opposite end. The assembly 100 can include a roller receptacle 10. As part of an initial step (when using a new roll of protective material or a new roller receptacle 10), the covering material can be unrolled and spread across the tabletop to be spooled into the roller receptacle 10 of the assembly 100. The roller receptacle 10 can include a roller 12 (shown in FIG. 2) within an elongated sleeve 11.

After each examination (or other use of the MET), a user (e.g., medical practitioner) can actuate the roller 12 so that the roller 12 turns within the elongated sleeve 11, drawing the “soiled” portion of the material into the roller receptacle 10 and enclosing the used covering material within the elongated sleeve 11. Once filled with material, the roller receptacle 10 (containing the elongated sleeve 11 with used material spooled onto the roller 12 therein) can be detached from the assembly 100 for disposal. The roller receptacle 10 can contain the soiled material so that when the roller receptacle is disposed of the used protective material is disposed therewith, which minimizes contact with the soiled material. As such, the removal and disposal of either the entire roller receptacle or the roller (with used paper wound thereon) provide a more efficient and biologically safe method of dealing with medical examination paper waste.

FIG. 2 shows an assembly for soiled covering material retrieval and disposal according to an embodiment of the invention. According to one aspect, such as shown in FIG. 2, an assembly 100 for retrieval, storage and disposal of a protective covering material (e.g., soiled paper) for a tabletop can include a roller receptacle 10 and a mounting assembly 20. In some embodiments, the roller receptacle 10 includes an elongated sleeve 11 and a roller 12. The roller 12 can be coaxially disposed and axially rotatable within the sleeve 11. The elongated sleeve 11 can include an aperture 13 which runs at least part of the length of the sleeve for receiving the used covering material so that the material may wrap around the roller 12.

In some embodiments, the length of the assembly 100 is about the same dimension as the width of the surface of a bed or medical examination table, such as for example, about 2 feet, about 3 feet, or about 4 feet. In some embodiments, the length of the assembly 100 is about the same dimension as the width of the surface of a bench, such as for example, about 1 foot, about 2 feet, or about 3 feet.

The roller receptacle 10 can have any shape that allows for rotation of the roller 12 within. In some embodiments, the roller receptacle 10 has a cylindrical shape. For example, the elongated sleeve 11 may have a cylindrical shape. Likewise, the roller 12 can have any shape that allows for rotation and winding of the covering material thereon. In some embodiments, the roller 12 has a cylindrical shape. In addition to cylindrical (ellipsoidal or circular cross-section), the elongated sleeve 11 and roller 12 may have polyhydra shapes (e.g., polygonal or triangular cross-section). The elongated sleeve 11 and roller 12 may have a same or different shape.

The assembly 100 may also include a door portion 18 hingeably and/or removably attached to the elongated sleeve 11 such that it covers the aperture 13 when in a closed position (the closed position of the door portion 18 is illustrated in FIG. 4) to minimize exposure to the soiled material therein. The door portion 18 can be opened and/or removed when material is being inserted and drawn into the roller receptacle 10. Once the roller receptacle 10 is full, the door portion 18 can be closed and the roller receptacle 10 removed for disposal.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the roller 12 and sleeve 11 are collectively disposed so as to form a gap 14 therebetween for receiving protective material as it is rolled onto the roller 12. Used material is wrapped around the roller 12, where it is stored until disposal. The sleeve 11 acts as a container that enables minimal user contact with the used material once rolled onto the roller 12.

In one embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 2, the mounting assembly 20 is configured for attaching to a table, bench or bed and includes at least one mount 21 engageable with an end 15 of the roller receptacle 10. In some embodiments, the mounting assembly includes first and second mounts 21, 22 oppositely disposed and engageable with opposite ends of the roller receptacle. Although two mounts 21, 22 are described, embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, a single mount may be used at one end or centrally disposed with respect to the roller receptacle 10. Alternatively, multiple mounts may be provided along the roller receptacle 10.

A rotator assembly 23 can be in communication with the roller 12 to provide rotational movement to the roller 12 within the sleeve 11 for retrieving the used covering material and causing the protective covering material to wrap around the roller 12. The rotator assembly 23 can be mechanical and/or electrical and be operated manually (such as via a handle and crank; see e.g., handle portion element in FIG. 2), automatically, or both. In some cases where the rotator assembly is motor driven, the actuation can be initiated by a button, switch or other user interface. In some cases where the rotator assembly is motor driven, the actuation can be initiated automatically as a result of sensor readings or programmatically (e.g., according to a programmed interval or specified conditions).

In some embodiments, the rotator assembly includes at least one bearing 28 to receive and retain an end 15 of the roller receptacle 10, as shown in FIG. 3A (and bearing 29 at opposing end 19 as illustrated in FIG. 3B). The mount(s) 21 retain the roller receptacle 10 and bearing 28 in position; yet, the bearing 28, 29 allows free rotation of the roller 12 within the sleeve 11 of the roller receptacle 10.

In some embodiments, the mounting assembly 20 includes first and second mounts 21, 22 with which corresponding opposing ends 15, 19 of the roller receptacle 10 can be removably engaged. In one embodiment, at least one rail is configured to slideably attach the mounting assembly to the table, bench or bed. Referring again to FIGS. 3A and 3B, one or more rails 24, 25 may be attached to the bed/table/bench and be used to attach the mounting assembly 20 to the bed/table/bench to enable the adjustment of the assembly 100 on the table, bench or bed. In some cases, the rails 24, 25 can be attached to the sides of a table, bed or bench so that the mounts 21, 22 of the mounting assembly 20 can slideably attach to the rails 24, 25.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the assembly 100 may also include a guiding rod 16 disposed exteriorly of the elongated sleeve 11 for guiding paper into the roller receptacle 10. The guiding rod 16 can be used to help remove wrinkles and creases from the material as it is drawn into the roller receptacle 10. The guiding rod 16 may further include one or more guiding wheels 32 attached thereto that further assist in guiding the material into the roller receptacle 10. FIG. 4 also shows first and second mounts 21, 22 slideably attached to rails 24, 25. In alternative embodiments, only a single mount may be utilized for attachment to a rail on one side of the bed, bench or table.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5A, and 5B, the first and second mounts 21, 22 can include brackets 26 for engaging the roller receptacle 10 when seated in the mounting assembly 20. The brackets 26 can be used to maintain the proper positioning and stability of the roller receptacle 10 when in use such that the sleeve 11 remains stationary and does not rotate. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5A, 5B and 6, the mounts 21, 22 each include a receiving aperture 27 for receiving the ends 30, 31 of the roller 12. The receiving aperture 27 and ends 30, 31 of the roller 12 are adapted to allow positioning of the roller 12 while maintaining rotation of the roller 12 when engaged by the rotational component 23 and/or bearing 28. Further, once a roll of soiled material is collected, the roller receptacle 10 can be removed and disposed of safely by disengaging the roller 12 from the bearing 28, receiving apertures 27 and brackets 26. As such, the roller receptacle 10 can be primarily made from a disposable and/or biodegradable material such as, but not limited to, cardboard.

The mounts' 21, 22 receiving apertures 27 can be angled in various positions relative to the bed, bench or table when the assembly 100 is in an operational position. For example, the mounts 21, 22 can be designed to include receiving apertures 27 as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C. Embodiments of mounts 21, 22 with various angles of receiving apertures 27 provide for various mounting methods of the assembly 100 onto a bed, bench or table. The various embodiments of the mounts 21, 22 are designed to allow horizontal insertion of the roller receptacle 10 into the mounts 21, 22 (see FIG. 7A), diagonal insertion of the roller receptacle 10 into the mounts 21, 22 (see FIG. 7B), or vertical insertion of the roller receptacle 10 into the mounts 21, 22 (see FIG. 7C).

In another embodiment, and referring again to FIG. 2, the assembly 100 includes at least one material engagement portion 17 extending from the roller 12. The covering engagement portion 17 can be used to inhibit slipping of the material from the roller 12. Likewise, the covering engagement portion 17 can be used to actively engage the material to cause the clean portions of the material to be pulled over the table, bench or bed while spooling the “soiled” material onto the roller 12. The material engagement portion 17 can include one or more spikes, rubber, or any other structure that can effectively grip and/or engage the material as the roller 12 is rolled to spool material thereon.

In some embodiments, the assembly 100 includes a disinfecting component that attaches to the assembly 100 and releases a disinfecting spray, mist, liquid, or dry form of a chemical onto the material either, before, during, or after the material is spooled onto the roller 12. The disinfecting spray, mist, liquid, or dry form of the chemical may further provide an aromatic component to remove, neutralize, or mask odors.

As shown in FIG. 8, the elongated sleeve 11 can further include one or more inner guides 33 that function to push the material towards the roller 12 so as to help tightly wrap the material as it is drawn onto the roller 12. The inner guides 33 can be positioned so as to not obstruct the material engagement portions 17 on the roller 12; however, both the material engagement portions 17 and the inner guides 33 can be positioned to work in concert to provide effective spooling of the material onto the roller 12. The inner guides 33 can be made from foam, metal, plastic, composite or any other material that can provide a degree of firmness to assist in directing the material toward the roller 12 as it is drawn into the roller receptacle 10.

As used herein, the terms “protective material,” “covering material” and “protective covering material” are used interchangeably and refer to any material that can be used to protect the surface of a table, bench, bed or the like. Likewise, the terms refer to any material that is placed on a tabletop, benchtop or bed to provide a clean surface for patient examination. Furthermore, the terms also refer to materials utilized to cover tabletops in other industries, for example, food industry. The materials can include, but are not limited to, paper, fabric, plastic, and sheet metal.

Other aspects of the invention provide methods of retrieving and storing material, e.g., soiled paper, from atop a table, bed or bench, which include providing a material retrieval and storage apparatus comprising a roller receptacle. The roller receptacle is configured for receiving and storing the material such that exposure to soiled material is limited. The roller receptacle may be removably attached to a table, bed or bench to allow retrieval and storage of protective material as it is used and to allow subsequent disposal of the roller receptacle with the “used” material therein. The method includes retrieval of the material by rotation of one or more element of the roller receptacle, such as a roller contained therein, by way of electrical and/or mechanical devices, for example, a crank and handle and/or electric motor to draw the material into the roller receptacle and contain it therein to minimize risk of exposure to infectious agents left on the soiled material.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. In addition, any elements or limitations of any invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein can be combined with any and/or all other elements or limitations (individually or in any combination) or any other invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein, and all such combinations are contemplated with the scope of the invention without limitation thereto.

All patents, patent applications, provisional applications, and publications referred to or cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety, including all figures and tables, to the extent they are not inconsistent with the explicit teachings of this specification.

It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for retrieval and storage of tabletop protective covering material, the apparatus comprising: a roller receptacle that attaches to a table, bench, or bed, the roller receptacle comprising an elongated sleeve and a roller, the roller coaxially disposed and axially rotatable within the sleeve, the sleeve having an aperture through which protective covering material is received for wrapping around the roller.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller receptacle is removably attachable to the table, bench, or bed.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a guiding rod disposed exteriorly of the elongated sleeve for guiding the covering material into the roller receptacle.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one material engagement portion extending from the roller.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one material engagement portion comprises spikes.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more inner guides on an interior surface of the elongated sleeve that guides the covering material towards the roller.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotator assembly in communication with the roller to actuate the roller.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotator assembly comprises a handle and crank.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotator assembly comprises a motor.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elongated sleeve and the roller has a cylindrical shape.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller receptacle is disposable.
 12. A retrieval and storage assembly for a tabletop protective covering material, the assembly comprising: a roller receptacle comprising an elongated sleeve and a roller, the roller coaxially disposed and axially rotatable within the sleeve, wherein the elongated sleeve comprises an aperture for receiving a used protective covering material such that the used protective covering material may be transferred onto the roller, wherein the roller is actuated to capture and roll the protective covering material from a surface of the tabletop; and a mounting assembly configured for attaching to a table, bench, or bed, wherein the mounting assembly supportively receives the roller receptacle.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a guiding rod disposed exteriorly of the elongated sleeve for guiding the protective covering material into the roller receptacle.
 14. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising at least one material engagement portion extending from the roller.
 15. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising one or more inner guides on the inner side of the elongated sleeve for directing the protective covering material towards the roller.
 16. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a door portion covering the aperture of the elongated sleeve.
 17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the door portion is hingeably attached to the elongated sleeve.
 18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the door portion is removably attached to the elongated sleeve.
 19. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a rotor assembly in communication with the roller to actuate the roller.
 20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the rotor assembly comprises a handle and crank.
 21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the rotor assembly comprises a motor.
 22. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising at least one rail configured to slideably attach the mounting assembly to the table.
 23. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a first and second mount for correspondingly engaging opposite ends of the roller receptacle.
 24. The assembly of claim 12, wherein at least one of the elongated sleeve and the roller has a cylindrical shape.
 25. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the roller receptacle is disposable.
 26. A method of retrieving and storing soiled tabletop protective covering material, comprising: providing a retrieval and storage apparatus comprising a roller receptacle, the roller receptacle configured for receiving and storing a used protective covering material; and retrieving the used protective covering material through actuation of a roller of the roller receptacle. 